Having never fired anything chambered for the .380ACP, I selected the Taurus Millennium PT138 for our first outing last fall. The .380 is essentially a shortened 9mm round and is known some places as the 9mm Kurz (Short). Though there is much debate on the issue, some consider the .380 the least-powerful round still effective for self-defense.
The Millennium is black polymer with a stainless steel slide. It’s intended for concealed carry (illegal in Illinois) and is both compact (6” long) and lightweight (19 oz.). With a double-stack magazine, it can hold 11 rounds (10 in the magazine plus one in the chamber) and is about 1 ¼” wide.
Shooting the Millennium was enjoyable. The grip is not rubberized but is textured and sufficiently wide to fill the hand. Trigger pull is long but fairly light and smooth. It is solidly built and operated flawlessly with the Independence Ammunition 90 grain rounds I was using. Independence Ammunition is not a brand I was familiar with but seems to be a decent plinking round intended to maximize the range's profit. A box of 50 ran $13; I found the same online for $8.50.
After a couple magazines to familiarize myself, I was able to consistently get 5-6" groups at 10 yards. Not stellar but tight enough for its intended purpose. Surprisingly, the recoil was not much different than a 9mm of similar dimensions I've fired, though muzzle flip was less in the .380.
For simple pleasure shooting, a heavier gun with a longer barrel would be a better bet. And a 9mm of the same size would be more powerful for defensive purposes. But if you find that you shoot the .380 more accurately or simply don’t need the extra power, this would be a good choice for someone on a budget. Although the Taurus Millennium PT138 is a discontinued model, it can still be found for under $300.
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